


Sweet Dreams

by theguineapig3



Category: Tales of Vesperia
Genre: Cuddling, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Nightmares, Post-Traumatic Stress, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-06
Updated: 2020-08-06
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:54:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25739935
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theguineapig3/pseuds/theguineapig3
Summary: Judith was proud of Ba’ul for how far he’d come in his evolution, but on the nights that her nightmares were too much to handle, she missed having a warm, loving companion to curl up next to. Showing that kind of vulnerability in front of her friends was still difficult- but perhaps there was one of them who’d understand enough to indulge her.
Relationships: Judith/Raven (Tales of Vesperia)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 26





	Sweet Dreams

**Author's Note:**

> This is the kind of self-indulgent work that comes from daydreaming about a fic, saying "I wish that existed," and realizing "wait! I'm a writer! I can MAKE it exist!" Really, though, I feel like Judith's trauma doesn't get acknowledged enough, so I wanted to see her get the love and care she deserves- preferably from her favorite old man. I hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it.

The dreams rarely had any visuals. They were nothing more than a flurry of color and sound, of names being spoken one after the other. The voice of a lone girl echoed across a barren landscape, calling the names of everyone she’d ever known and loved. Each name increased in volume and desperation, the realization slowly sinking in that no one was going to answer, that they would never answer again. Each individual a story, a background, a relationship, all erased from existence with no one to even remember them, save for that tiny voice…

And then Judith returned to the present day.

Waking up from these nightmares was always a slow process. Judith didn’t ever jolt awake, but rather, emerged from her dreams in small increments. The heat of desert warfare merged slowly into the chill of a midnight forest, the lonely screams gave way to a chorus of insects and tree frogs, and the cloudy colors of fear and isolation cleared to reveal a night sky full of stars, waiting patiently for Judith when she opened her eyes.

She shifted onto her side so that she could get a better look at their camp. Karol, Patty, and Estelle were curled up in one corner, all sharing a heavy blanket to keep out the chill in the air. Rita had fallen asleep with a book open against her chest as though she’d drifted off in the middle of reading it. Meanwhile, Repede was curled up between Flynn and Yuri, one leg twitching in his sleep as if he were chasing some invisible prey. The sight made her smile, but also reminded her of how alone she’d felt since Ba’ul had evolved. 

Judith had struggled with nightmares ever since the destruction of Temza all those years ago. When she’d lived in Myorzo, she would sneak out of whatever foster family’s home she was staying in that night and find Ba’ul, preferring to curl up with him in some corner of town rather than stay in a lonely bed by herself. Once the two returned to the surface, she took up a habit of sleeping next to him every night, knowing that if she  _ did  _ wake up from nightmares, she wouldn’t wake up alone. It was such a good feeling, one that she missed desperately, no matter how happy she was for him and his transformation. The nightmares had all but disappeared since she’d joined Brave Vesperia, but they were still lurking in her subconscious, and now all she could do was turn over and close her eyes, waiting sleeplessly until dawn. Seeing Yuri and Flynn with their canine companion sent a pang of jealousy through her chest, and she pulled herself to a sitting position as she contemplated whether to try sleeping again or take a walk to calm her nerves.

“Somethin’ wrong, Judith darlin’?”

The voice from over by the fire reminded her that Raven was on watch that night, and she flashed him a fake smile.

“Oh, I couldn’t sleep, so I just thought I’d take a walk. The stars are so clear tonight, it’d be a shame not to appreciate them.”

“A nighttime walk, huh? Yuri said you were fond’a those.” Raven crossed his arms, staring her down from across the fire. “Don’t tell me there’s a Hermes blastia way out here in the boonies. Or is there some other mischief you’re lookin’ ta get into?”

Of course that routine wouldn’t work on Raven. Much as he tried to play dumb, he was far sharper than he let on. Judith put a hand against her chest, feigning offense.

“You don’t believe me? I’m hurt.”

“I call it like I see it, sweetheart.” Raven winked at her, motioning her over. “It’s too cold ta be wanderin’ around the woods by yerself on a night like this. How ‘bout you watch the stars over here by the fire instead? If you’re still cold, you can cuddle up next ta me.”

As charming as he was, this was the first time Judith had given serious consideration to one of his affectionate offers. Usually Rita stepped in before she could even think it over, and the ensuing chaos was always so amusing that she didn’t mind. But now… she was glad Rita was fast asleep.

“You know? I think I will.”

That brought a look of surprise to Raven’s face, but he was quick to scoot over and make space for her. Judith pulled herself from her sleeping roll and tiptoed over to the fire. The heat felt good against her chilled skin, and she settled down next to Raven- not touching him, however. She wasn’t that desperate yet. Half-expecting him to throw his arm around her shoulder, she was surprised when he simply leaned back and focused his attention on the sky. 

“I’ve been focusin’ on the fire, but you’re right. The stars are nice. Can’t see ‘em like this from Dahngrest or Zaphias.”

“You can see even more stars at high elevations. Back home in Temza, on top of a mountain and without any blastia-powered lights, my father and I could see  _ so many  _ stars.”

“That sounds nice. I never had the chance ta appreciate the view when I was there. Maybe we could go back sometime and you could show me.”

That’s right, Raven had been there for the destruction of Temza too, hadn’t he? He’d seen his fair share of atrocities in the war, seen everyone close to him killed indiscriminately in the same way Judith had. If there were anyone who could understand, who might be able to offer her advice, it was him.

The only thing it would cost would be her pride.

There was no shame in asking, she decided. At this point, she’d take all the help she could get. Besides, she didn't have to worry about lowering Raven’s opinion of her, given that he worshiped the ground she walked on. Him seeing her shortcomings might be a good thing.

“...Raven…” Judith began, taking a deep breath before continuing on. “...do you ever have dreams about Temza? About the war?”

“Dreams?” he repeated. “Like, as in nightmares?”

“Yes.”

Raven closed his eyes and let out a sigh, his breath clouding over in the cool night air. “All the time. More’n I’d like ta admit.”

“How do you deal with them?”

The corner of his mouth turned up into a lopsided grin. “Deal with ‘em? Darlin', I think you're givin’ me too much credit. Just ‘cause I'm old doesn't mean I'm wise ‘bout these sorta things. I'm just taking ‘em one step at a time.”

There was her answer. He didn't have advice, but he could commiserate. In a way, Judith was relieved- much as she wanted genuine help, just knowing that someone else was struggling as much as she was gave her a little more confidence. 

“Back when I was traveling with Ba’ul, I had nightmares almost every night. When I’d wake up, he would curl up around me and let me cuddle close to him. For a creature with scales, he was always surprisingly warm.”

Raven’s expression softened, a fond glow in his eyes. “I never would’a figured. But I s’pose doin’ that now is outta the question. Wouldn't want’cha to get crushed if he turned over in his sleep.”

“No,” Judith agreed with a laugh, “I wouldn't want that either.”

The two went silent for a moment, staring wordlessly at the stars overhead. Raven finally let out a sigh and spoke up again, his question lingering in the air between them.

“So those nightmares… is that why you were tossin’ and turnin’ tonight?”

Judith bit her lip.

“Would it lower your opinion of me if I said yes?”

“Lower my-?!” Raven jerked his head around to look at her directly. “I just said I get nightmares too! How low d’ya think my opinion of myself is?”

“I don’t think you want me to answer that.”

“Good point.”

Judith turned her gaze back down to the fire, drawing her legs up against her chest. “I suppose, being on my own, I felt like I had to be strong, invincible even. Ba’ul was the only one I could be vulnerable with. Even now, having so many people I love nearby, it’s hard to express that side of me.”

“Heh, I get’cha.” Raven shook his head, returning his gaze to the sky. “You’re the strong one, I’m the funny one. We can’t let anyone see us suffering, ‘cause it’s just not our style. And yet, if we actually  _ told  _ people how we felt, we might suffer a lot less.”

“Perhaps.” Judith shifted her weight, moving closer so that their shoulders were touching. “But, for what it’s worth, knowing you have nightmares won’t keep me from laughing at you when you do something silly.”

“I’ll say thanks, even though I’m not sure if I should.” Raven grinned and nudged her. “For what it’s worth, knowin’ you have nightmares won’t keep me from bein’ terrified’a you.”

“Why, thank you. That’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me.”

“I… doubt that… but you’re welcome.”

The camp went silent again. 

“Say, Raven, is that offer still open?”

“Offer?” 

Judith leaned against his shoulder. “It’s terribly cold. At this rate, I’ll never be able to get back to sleep. I believe you offered to help with that?”

“O-oh, that!” Raven’s posture turned stiff. “I didn’t actually think you’d- uh- you’d probably be warmer crawlin’ under the blanket with that crew over there.” He pointed to where Estelle, Karol, and Patty were still sleeping soundly. Judith shook her head, however.

“And what if I want to cuddle with you?”

He stared at her for a while, as if waiting for some indication that she wasn’t serious. But she  _ was _ serious, genuinely and truly serious. Much as the rest of her friends cared about her, Raven understood her in a way they couldn’t. It felt good, a sort of emotional warmth that she’d never felt for anyone else. Even Ba’ul, for all their shared experiences, was an Entelexia, removed from the reality of humans and Kritya, and Judith wondered if Raven was even warmer physically too.

Only one way to find out.

“Well?” Judith began again, nodding in his direction. “Don’t tell me those were just empty words.”

“N-no, no-!” Raven snapped to attention again and shook his head as he began to remove his coat. “Here, come sit next ta me. I’ll share my coat with ya. That outfit’a yours doesn’t look anywhere near warm enough.”

Judith moved closer, and instead of sitting beside him on the cold ground, settled in his lap instead. “Is this alright?” she asked, looking down at his reddening face.

“Y-yeah! Totally! Just… unexpected.”

“You’ll find I’m full of surprises.” Judith ran her fingers through his hair before finally wrapping her arms around his neck and leaning her cheek against the side of his head. His hair was surprisingly soft, far moreso than Ba’ul’s scales had ever been, and the warmth that radiated from his chest put her back into a dreamy haze. She stifled a yawn. “I may fall asleep on you like this.”

“It’d be an honor,” Raven replied, placing his coat over her shoulders. He wrapped his arms around her waist, holding them lightly at first and asking “this okay?” before setting them more firmly once she’d given him a nod in reply.

This was completely different than sleeping next to Ba’ul. This was far warmer, almost hot, and despite the calming influence, there was an unfamiliar flutter in her chest too. The thought briefly crossed her mind that it was the close proximity of his blastia to her own heart, but she chased that thought away. Judith was far too self-aware to settle for cliche excuses like that. She knew exactly what this was.

“Say, Raven?” she spoke up again, unable to keep the affection out of her voice. “Can I ask a favor?”

“Anything for you, my darlin’.”

“Could you keep this quiet from the others? About the nightmares, I mean. I’ll tell them someday soon, I just want to wait until everything with the spirits and the adephagos is settled. I want to approach it on my own terms.”

“A’course I can do that.” Raven nuzzled closer against her neck, and she felt the flutter in her chest intensify. “Your secret’s safe with me.”

“I knew I could count on you,” Judith whispered back before closing her eyes and letting herself drift off.

It had been a very long time since she’d felt this safe and loved.


End file.
